Histopathology Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards based on Histopathology Lecture Notes #1

Pathology

Study of the structural, biochemical & functional changes in cells, tissues, organs that underlie disease; Study of disease/s

Anatomical Pathology

Involves the examination of surgical specimens removed from the body (biopsy) or sometimes the examination of dead body (autopsy) to diagnose disease and to determine cause of death respectively.

Autopsy Specimen

From a dead source; To determine cause of death

Biopsy Specimen

Obtained from a living source through surgery primarily to detect malignant conditions

Surgical pathology

Involves examinations of surgical (biopsy) specimens

Histopathology

Examine cells, abnormal tissues under the microscope after they have been stained using appropriate dyes (H&E)

Cytopathology

Examine cells shed into body fluids that have been obtained by scraping or aspiration

Clinical Pathology

Involves laboratory analysis of body fluids (blood, urine, CSF, etc.) and other bodily tissue for the diagnosis of disease

Molecular Pathology

Multi-disciplinary field that focuses on disease at the sub microscopic, molecular level; Disease diagnosis

Labile cells

Continue to proliferate throughout life, except for few cells; Replace cells that expire

Stable cells

Definite pattern of replication with cells lost by wear and tear being replaced by the mitotic activity of others; Undergo cell division only when needed (injury occurs); Replace injured cells

Permanent cells

Non-replicating cells; Not capable of cell division after maturation

Etiology

Cause

Idiopathic

Disease of unknown cause

Pathogenesis

Manner on how the disease had developed; Mode of transmission

Signs

Objective alterations reported and observed by another person; Measurable

Symptoms

Subjective; Experiences reported or verbalized by the patient; Immeasurable

Cellular Adaptation

A state that lies intermediate between NORMAL/UNSTRESSED cell & INJURED/OVERSTRESSED cell

Atrophy

Acquired decrease in tissue or organ size due to a decrease in the size of individual cells

Physiologic Atrophy

Decrease in size is considered normal; Occurs as natural consequence of maturation

Aplasia

Incomplete or defective development of tissue or organ; Affected organ shows no resemblance to the normal mature adult cell

Agenesia

Complete non-appearance of tissue or organ; No development

Hypoplasia

Failure to reach the normal mature adult size

Atresia

Failure of organ to form an opening

Pathologic Atrophy

Usually due to a disease; May develop as consequence of a disease

Vascular Atrophy

Decrease in size is due to lack or diminished blood supply

Pressure atrophy

Decrease in size is due to persistent or continuous pressure applied to an organ

Starvation or Hunger Atrophy

Decrease in size is due to lack of nutritional supply to supply normal growth

Endocrine Atrophy

Decrease in size is due to lack of hormones needed to maintain normal size and structure

Atrophy of disuse

Decrease in organ size is due to inactivity or diminished activity

Exhaustion atrophy

Decrease in organ size is due to increased workload

Hypertrophy

Increase in tissue or organ size is due to an increase in the size of individual cells making up an organ; NO NEW CELLS PRODUCED

Physiologic Hypertrophy

Normal process

Pathologic Hypertrophy

Abnormal; Usually caused by a disease

Compensatory Hypertrophy

Happens when one of the paired organs is removed

Hyperplasia

Increase in tissue or organ size due to the increase in number of cells making up an organ; NEW CELLS ARE PRODUCED

Physiologic Hyperplasia

Happens when there is a need; Resulting from normal stimuli

Pathologic Hyperplasia

Usually due to a disease; May give rise to neoplasm; May be due to stimulation of growth factors

Compensatory Hyperplasia

Occur frequently with compensatory hypertrophy

Metaplasia

Involves transformation of ADULT cell into another ADULT cell; REVERSIBLE

Dysplasia

Abnormal growth and differentiation; Characterized by change in size, shape, and cell orientation (arrangement); May lead to cancer but not necessarily; AKA atypical metaplasia or pre-neoplastic lesion; REVERSIBLE

Anaplasia

AKA de-differentiation; Often used as criterion for malignancy; IRREVERSIBLE; Involves transformation of ADULT cell into YOUNG or EMBRYONIC or PRIMITIVE cell type

Cell Injury

Happens when limits of adaptive response is exceeded OR when cells are exposed to injurious agent (physical, infectious, chemical agents) or stressful stimuli

Reversible Cell Injury

Affected cell can recover

Irreversible Cell Injury

Point of no return; End point: Cell death

Anoxia

Oxygen deprivation; Loss of oxygen

Hypoxia

Decrease in oxygen supply

Gross changes of Reversible Injury

Increased weight (heavy)

Irreversible Injury

Characterized by inability of cell to recover

Pyknosis

Condensation of nucleus

Karyolysis

Fragmentation or segmentation of nucleus

Karyorrhexis

Dissolution of nucleus

Fatty Changes

AKA fatty degeneration; Usually affects liver

Neoplasia

Process of tumor formation; AKA swelling, neoplasm; Abnormal proliferation of cells

Neoplasm

Cancer

Oncology

Study of cancer

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death; Physiologic or normal; Death of single cell in a cluster of cells; Vital process to eliminate unwanted cells

Necrosis

Pathologic cell death; Happens as a result of irreversible injury

Coagulative Necrosis

Action of hydrolytic enzymes is blocked; Due to sudden cut-off of blood supply; Cell death is due to ischemia

Liquefactive Necrosis

Softening of organ due to the release of hydrolytic enzymes; Characterized by complete digestion of cells

Caseous Necrosis

Combination of coagulative and liquefactive

Fibrinoid Necrosis

Seen in immune reactions involving blood vessels; Deposition of fibrin in the vessel wall

Fat Necrosis

Death of adipose cells, fatty tissue; Fat destruction due to release of pancreatic lipases, death of fat tissue due to loss of blood supply

Gangrenous Necrosis

Necrosis secondary to ischemia; Due to interruption of blood supply to lower extremities (limbs)

Inflammation

Tissue reaction to injury; Uses the suffix “itis”

Somatic Death

Death of the ENTIRE BODY

Algor Mortis

Cooling of the body

Rigor Mortis

Rigidity; Stiffening of the body

Livor Mortis

Lividity; Purplish discoloration of skin

Autolysis

Self-digestion; There is release of hydrolytic enzymes

Putrefaction

Rotting or decomposition of the body by bacterial action

Dessication

Drying and wrinkling of cornea and anterior chamber

Autopsy

Involves examination of dead body